Anomaly

As for the words spoken earlier?

If Yu Xiaogang could take them to heart, he would hold Yu Xiaogang in higher regard.

Unfortunately, Yu Xiaogang would not listen, because he was the person Yu Xiaogang hated most.

If he could actually listen, Yu Xiaogang might just be able to change his fate as a failure.

Time passed like a white horse galloping past a crack in the wall, and in the blink of an eye, another year had gone by.

Throughout this year, Yu Hong maintained his habit of daily exercise and cultivation, never slacking for a single day.

However, he discovered a strange phenomenon.

His level remained stuck at 11, without any improvement.

Logically speaking, given the intensity of his cultivation and the resources invested, he should have increased by at least one or two levels over the course of a year.

But the reality was that no matter how hard he cultivated, his soul power was like flowing water; the moment it condensed, it would vanish without a trace.

At first, Yu Hong thought there was a problem with his cultivation method.

He tried various different ways of cultivating and even consulted Yu Luomian, but the results were always the same.

The soul power simply would not stay.

It wasn't until one day, while he was cultivating, that he inadvertently summoned his martial soul.

That Primordial White Stone hovered in his palm, emitting a faint white light.

Yu Hong stared at it for a while and suddenly noticed something wrong.

The surface of the white stone had developed many tiny cracks.

Those cracks were dense, covering the entire surface of the white stone like a spiderweb.

Moreover, the number of cracks had increased significantly since he last observed it.

"This is..." Yu Hong frowned, carefully sensing the state of his martial soul.

The next moment, his eyes widened.

He sensed it.

The soul power he cultivated was being continuously absorbed by his martial soul.

The soul power that had been disappearing hadn't vanished into thin air; it had all flowed into the Primordial White Stone.

"So that's it." Yu Hong suddenly realized.

For the past year, all the soul power he had cultivated had been absorbed by his martial soul to incubate.

No wonder his level had remained at 11.

"It seems this egg is about to hatch." Yu Hong looked at those dense cracks, a surge of anticipation rising in his heart.

The more cracks there were, the faster the incubation progress.

At this rate, the egg should be fully hatched by next year.

By then, his martial soul would transform from an egg into a true Blue-Eyes White Dragon.

Thinking of this, the corners of Yu Hong's mouth curled upward slightly.

Although this year of cultivation hadn't raised his level, he didn't feel it was a loss.

Because the evolution of a martial soul was far more important than an increase in level.

A powerful martial soul was the true foundation of a soul master.

"However, cultivation alone is not enough." Yu Hong retracted his martial soul and stood up. "I need combat experience."

Over the past year, although he had exercised his body every day, he had rarely engaged in real combat.

The spar with Yu Xiaogang last time couldn't even be considered a real fight.

It was merely a one-sided crushing.

He needed to find some real opponents to hone his combat skills.

And the best opponents were soul beasts.

"I'll go to other forests for training." Yu Hong made his decision.

Although the Soul Hunting Forest of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon family had many soul beasts, those beasts were kept in captivity, and their combat instincts had degraded significantly.

For true training, he had to go to the wild forests.

Yu Hong packed some necessary items and went to report to Yu Luomian.

When Yu Luomian heard that he wanted to go out for training, he was first a bit surprised, then nodded in agreement.

"Going out for training is a good thing, but pay attention to your safety," Yu Luomian cautioned. "Don't force yourself if you encounter danger; preserving your life is the most important thing."

"I understand," Yu Hong nodded.

"Where do you plan to go?"

"The outskirts of the Greenwood Forest," Yu Hong said. "There is a wide variety of soul beasts there, and the soul beasts on the periphery aren't too old, which is quite suitable for my current strength."

Yu Luomian thought for a moment, then pulled a token from his robes and handed it to Yu Hong.

"This is my personal token; use it if you run into any trouble. There are several small towns near the Greenwood Forest where members of our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon clan reside. If you present this token, they will assist you."

"Many thanks, Vice Clan Leader." Yu Hong took the token and tucked it away solemnly.

"Go now, and train well." Yu Luomian patted him on the shoulder. "I look forward to seeing your performance in the tournament a year from now."

"Rest assured, Vice Clan Leader."

Yu Hong turned and left, setting off on the journey toward the Greenwood Forest.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon clan estate.

Shouts echoed from Yu Xiaogang's courtyard.

"Ha! Ha! Ha!"

Yu Xiaogang was practicing his punches in the yard; each strike whistled with wind, showing a fair amount of form.

After a year of recovery and training, his body had fully healed.

Although the hidden injuries to his meridians remained, slowing his cultivation speed significantly compared to before, they at least no longer hindered normal combat.

Furthermore, he had been training diligently throughout this past year.

It was not just about cultivating soul power, but also about conditioning his physical body.

The miserable beating he had received from Yu Hong last time had left him with deep psychological scars.

He finally realized that relying solely on a martial soul was not enough; one's own physical strength was equally important.

"Hmph, Yu Hong, just you wait." Yu Xiaogang struck a wooden post, causing it to shake violently. "This time, I will definitely beat you into the dirt!"

Flames of vengeance flickered in his eyes.

For the past year, he had thought of nothing but revenge.

He would never forget the scene of being brutally beaten by Yu Hong that day.

Those slaps, those fists, and Yu Hong's condescending gaze...

Every time he remembered it, he would grit his teeth in hatred.

"Young Master, it is time to rest." A servant walked over and handed him a towel.

Yu Xiaogang took the towel to wipe his sweat and asked, "What has Yu Hong been doing lately?"

"Replying to Young Master, Young Master Yu Hong has been cultivating at home lately and rarely goes out," the servant replied.

"Hmph, a coward hiding in his shell." Yu Xiaogang sneered. "He must be afraid of me and doesn't dare to come out."

He tossed the towel to the servant and strode toward the gate.

"Young Master, where are you going?"

"To find Yu Hong." Yu Xiaogang said without looking back. "I am going to let him know that this young master is not to be trifled with!"

The servant opened his mouth, wanting to dissuade him, but ultimately said nothing.

He knew the young master's temper; there was no stopping him once his mind was made up.

Yu Xiaogang arrived at the entrance of Yu Hong's courtyard and raised his hand to knock.

But just as his hand went up, he noticed the door was slightly ajar.

"Hm?" Yu Xiaogang frowned, pushed the door open, and walked in.

The courtyard was empty.

"Yu Hong! Get out here, you brat!" Yu Xiaogang shouted.

There was no response.

He walked into the house and found it empty as well.

The bed was neatly made, and there was no clutter on the table; it looked as if no one had lived there for a long time.

"Where is he?" Yu Xiaogang wondered, puzzled.